To Feel Alive
by Violet-Pears
Summary: With the Justice League and the older team members dead, its down to the newer members to save the world from an alien invasion. They all have to step up, and prove what kind of hero they truly are. Who takes charge? Who gives up? Who are the last people standing? Or rather, The older team members put the new through the Failsafe simulation.
1. Prologue

**I know, I know. I have other stories to update, I'll update them soon, promise. But this idea seemed really good. Please tell me what you guys think of this.**

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_**Prologue**_

The decision had been a difficult one. A lot of thought had been put into the decision. A lot of time, talking and planning. The decision had been made by the older members of the team. Kaldur, M'Gaan, Connor, Artemis and Dick (who had rejoined the team only six months after leaving). It was not a decision they had been completely comfortable with, but it was one they believed was necessary.

After all, it had helped them, even if they had not realised it at the time. They had first had to get past the trauma.

That was what had made the decision so difficult. The trauma. Were they truly willing to traumatise the younger team members like that. Perhaps it was twisted of them, to say that yes, they were willing to put them through it. Perhaps it was even more twisted of them to use the same scenario. But the most twisted part of the situation, was the final decision they made.

Whilst under, the newer team members would believe that everything was real – excluding their own deaths. Under the belief that it was all real, they would have to step up, be the best that they could be. Their full potential would be unleashed; just like the original members potential had been unleashed six years ago.

The simulation would be run and controlled by Miss Martian; who was thankful that there was no team members going under that had telepathy, so they could not take control from her. Artemis and Dick would be in the simulation for a while as well. The only two who would be aware that it was, in fact, a simulation. Connor and Kaldur were monitoring, while Dinah was waiting in an other room to give support to each of the newer members once they awoke.

"We are placing you all in a psychic simulation. It is the same simulation Artemis, Connon, M'Gaan, Nightwing, Wally and myself went through six years ago. Your experiences will no doubt be far different from that of our own. The decision to put you all through this was a difficult one, training for failure was possibly the most traumatic thing that we went through during that first year. But it has made us all better heroes for it, it helped us realise what we were truly capable of. Black Canary has agreed to speak with each of you once you have awoken from the simulation. Both Nightwing and Tigress have agreed to go into the simulation along with you all. I wish you all the best of luck."

M'Gaan had been stood by the concrete slab Gar was on as Kaldur spoke. The worry and fear was evident in his green eyes, but she gave him a reassuring look. "Don't worry, Garfield. You'll do fine."

As she made her way to the middle of the room, she tried to calm her heart rate. She felt guilty about putting Garfield through this, about putting them all through it. But it would be good for them, in a way. Looking around the room, she let out a small sigh.

"If you could all lie down, and try your best to clear your minds. If you cannot clear them completely, focus on one thing. Perhaps my voice, or the sound of the ocean. You all need to remain as calm as possible for this to work."

Sensing the calming minds, she began linking them all up. The simulation starting to appear in front of them all.

_Good luck_. She broadcasted into their minds, before making them forget that it was all a mere simulation.

They were going to need every ounce of luck they could get.


	2. Cassie

**Because I really cannot stand the fact that the cave was destroyed, I've kept it. I'm going to pretend it was never destroyed. I thought it was such a fabulous HQ and to have it destroyed... It makes me want to weep.**

**Also, Khaji Da [aka the Scarab] is 'unresponsive' to Jaime throughout the experience. I assume M'gaan would sever the 'voacal connection' throughout the exercise, because Khaji Da would be aware that the entire thing was a simulation.**

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_**Cassie**_

Her stomach was churning as she watched in horror. Nightwing and Artemis were stood by the screen, emotionless expressions on their faces. They were all stood in the ops room. Kaldur, Conner and M'gaan had been called out to help the Justice League, who were being decimated. Whatever the aliens were, they were good at destroying people.

Batman, Superman, Captain Atom, Captain Marvel, Doctor Fate, Zatanna, Icon, Rocket and Martian Manhunter were already dead. She winced as she watched Flash disappear on the screen, and a muffled yelp behind her caused her to drag her eyes away from the screen. Bart had grabbed Gar's arm, his fingers digging – painfully, by the look of things – into the shape-shifters flesh.

Cassie's blue eyes turned back to the screen in time to see Wonder Woman, Aqua Man and Kaldur vanish. The word '_No_' was close to tumbling off her lips, but she kept her cool. Her hand clutching Robin's tightly. His grip just as tight as her own. Watching so many people she knew and cared about die was almost more than she could bare, but she kept herself held together. The team could not afford to have her falling apart on them. Not when so many people had died already.

When M'gaan and Conner were disintegrated, she turned her head once more. It made her wonder what would have been worse. Seeing Gar cry, or staring at the usually happy face that was suddenly void of all emotion. He was being strong, like she was, but the lack of emotion on his face was terrifying. Turning back to the screen, she watched the rest of the Justice League fall.

Red Tornado appeared on the screen, the last remaining Justice Leaguer. It was a call to the Team, not one of the cameras following the Leaguers.

"Red Tornado to Cave. I fear I may be all that remains of the League, you are now all that the earth has left..."

The screen went blank. Artemis and Nightwing turned to face them, with grim faces. Nightwing ran a hand through his hair as he looked at each of them.

"We all heard Red Tornado. We are now all that stands between the destruction of the Earth and these Aliens. It is our job to do everything we can to protect the people." With a few taps on the holocomputer around his wrist, he brought up a projection of the Earth, covered in odd red dots, which she assumed were the Alien ships.

"Did that one get lost or something?" She asked, pointing to the lone dot situated in the North Pole.

Nightwing chuckled dryly. "It's more likely that the power source of Superman's Fortress of Solitude caught the Aliens attention. At least, enough attention to send a scout ship."

"So, we go north and investigate? I mean, a frontal attack isn't exactly working, the more we know about these extra terrestrials the better." Robin spoke up.

Artemis nodded. "Exactly."

"Babs, Cassie, Jaime, Mal, La'Gaan you five are Beta. I want you to go to the Hall of Justice, help hold the fort there, up until our arrival. Help the army defend the civilians, and try not to die." Nightwing looked at the five of them, and they each nodded in turn. "The rest of us are Alpha. We will be taking Miss M's bio-ship north, and investigating the ship up there."

As everyone was getting themselves prepared to go off, possibly on their last mission, Cassie pulled Robin into a tight hug. "Stay safe, Robin." It was a stupid thing to say, and she expected him to tell her that, because it was an Alien invasion and they were both most likely to find themselves dead.

"You too, Cass."

It was obvious he was as worried as she was. Jeez, the entire team was no doubt as terrified as her. But they all had to hold themselves together. There was a planet to save, and they could not afford to be weak.

"I'll see you soon." She forced a smile on her face as she pulled herself away from him. Her words were no lie. Either she would see him at the Hall of Justice, or they would see each other in whatever afterlife was awaiting them.

It was difficult to turn her back to her friends. Each step she took towards the zeta-beams felt like a weight pulling her down. She felt heavier, perhaps it was the weight of the world finally crushing her. There was suddenly an arm wrapped around her shoulders, and she looked up to see Jaime giving her a grim smile.

The computer began to announce their departures. "_Batgirl. B16. Lagoon Boy. B18. Wonder Girl. B21. Blue Beetle. B22. Guardian. B24._"

That was it. The announcement that they were leaving to sacrifice their lives to save the world. And as terrified as she was, there was a part of her that was excited, because this is what she had been training for. From the moment she had started, she had been training to be like Wonder Woman. Training to save the world, no matter what the cost, and if that cost was her life, she would gladly give it.

"It's weird, don't you think?" Her gaze returned to Blue.

"What is?"

"You're the one that recruited me on to the team, and now it looks like I'll be leaving the team with you."

Her eyes narrowed and her face hardened. "You make it sound like we're going to die. That's quitter talk."

He laughed dryly as his armour covered him. "Nah, I'm just being a realist. I tried asking Khaji Da what he thought our survival chances are, but he refuses to respond. Which is a bit weird."

That was a bit weird. Jaime often mentioned that Khaji Da would never shut up. The silence was almost as weird as her calm heart beat. But it wasn't something to dwell on, they had a world to save.

"Your scarab might have given up, Blue, but that doesn't mean we will as well. The world is depending on us."

Taking a look at the soldiers outside the Hall of Justice, she sucked in a deep breath. The world was depending on them, and she was going to do her best to help them.

_Come and get us._ She thought as she looked up at the sky.

The soldiers were happy to have them there, happy to have their assistance. It was their job to try and get civilians to safety. To try and keep the god-awful aliens away from the innocent. It was hard, pulling the poor, terrified people to safety. Watching crestfallen, heartbroken, hopeless people crying and begging. Her stomach was twisting with nausea and even a little jealousy.

The civilians were allowed to show their fear, but if she was to do it... That was not the route her mind should go down. She could not think about wanting to cry. She could not afford to let the deaths get to her. No. It was her job to be strong. Crying was weak, especially for a hero.

_What would Wonder Woman do?_ Her lasso had come in handy, and had already saved her life twice.

Something hard collided into her, forcing her to the ground. Groaning, she looked at Jaime who shook his head as he pulled himself up. "I thought you weren't planning on dying."

Frowning, she accepted his hand and stood up. "It looks like surviving is going to be a more difficult task than I expected." She muttered, the sarcasm barely noticeable. "Thank you, for saving me."

He shrugged, stapling a nearby enemy to the wall. "I'm not exactly going to let you die, Cass. Rob would probably kill me. Plus, you're pretty useful."

If it had been any other mission, she would probably have laughed. Instead, she rolled her eyes, gave a brief smile and flew back into the air, lasso in hand. The mention of Rob made her worried. How were the others doing? Was everyone alright?

After rescuing another few civilians, she found herself with Batgirl, trying to protect a group of innocents from the ship that was coming towards them. The oldest was no older than herself, and he was clutching onto a young child. The two of them made her stomach twist once again. The young child was a mere toddler. A _toddler_. Who knew what had happened to the parents– Gods, she had to stop thinking like that.

Wonder Woman wouldn't let herself get distracted like that.

Batgirl turned to her. "Get the civilians out of here."

She nodded, and began to lead the group away, Her head turned and she watched Batgirl run in the opposite direction from them. The ship caught sight of her, and Cassies blood turned cold.

No. _NO_. Watching over a screen had been awful enough. Yet she couldn't pull her eyes away as she watched Batgirl disappear into thin air. "_NO!_"

No. NO. _NO_. _NO!_ Her stomach twisted once again, and it took every once of self control not to throw up right then and their.

_What would Wonder Woman do_?

She would rescue the civilians. Cassie turned, trying to ignore her damp cheeks as she ushered the young innocents to follow her. She was supposed to be strong. _Supposed to be_. And yet she had never felt more like a fraud in all of her life.


	3. Garfield

******I'm partially tempted to make this more a two/three/(possibly) four shot. Combine different POV's together and get it over with. Because I just feel like constantly updating this one.**

******Also, Steve and Rita are mentioned. Theres a period of 5 years between season ½ of YJ, and Marie Logan dies in the season 1 time line (according to the companion comics). Also, because Rita is shown to have been in the show Hello Megan, I'm going to assume Rita and Marie were friends, and so after Marie's death, Gar was taken in by Rita and Steve. And so I've made it that Gar joined the team roughly a year before Invasion; but he was good friends with almost everyone before that – through M'Gaan, Conner, etc.**

* * *

_**Garfield**_

It was crippling. The weight of the pressure being placed on him was ridiculously heavy, but that was the price they paid to be heroes. The pressure came with the suit – or rather the green skin. He exchanged a look with Bart, if he could survive an alien caused apocalypse, then Gar could certainly help fight to prevent an alien caused apocalypse, right?

"I'm surprised it was that easy." Kid Flash muttered under his breath.

Gar snorted in agreement. Robin looked over at the two and shook his head. "These things are never _that easy_."

"We know." Gar shot Robin a look, green eyes meeting the black and white, domino mask.

They were stood on top of the alien scout ship. Nightwing had suggested taking the disintegration beam and attaching it to the bio-ship, but without M'gaan it was proving to be a difficult task. Having the ability to shape-shift into strong animals meant that Gar was going to be the one to help with the removal, and with the bio-ship now, apparently, belonging to him, it made things marginally easier.

After a long struggle, He shifted into a gorilla and began using his full strength to try and disconnect the disintegration beam. As he was pulling, he heard a crackle of energy. Before he knew what was happening someone collided into him, knocking him off balance and causing him to tumble off the ship.

Someone had let out an anguished cry, and another had yelled out '_No!_' Pulling himself up, he shifted into a falcon before flying back onto the ship. He turned himself into his humanoid form, eyes looking around. Nightwing was nowhere to be seen.

No. Nope. No... He shook his head, eyes meeting Tim's covered ones. "I-"

"There was no indication of feedback." The older boy was looking at his holocomputer. "He did the only thing there was time to do. We need that beam."

Gar had never felt more guilty in his life, but once again he shifted into the form of a gorilla. He could barely hear Artemis trying to speak soothing words. Pushing the thought of Dick's death to the back of his mind, he focused on the task at hand. There would be time to mourn later, and if there wasn't, then he would be dead.

It was the price all heroes had to pay. At least, that had been what Steve had once told him.

Once the beam detached he pulled it across to the bio-ship. With the help of Bart, it began to integrate with the ship's systems. Artemis had ordered the rest of the team onto the ship. Her face blank as she looked at where Dick had been moments previously.

He heard them before he saw them. Two new ships headed towards them. His stomach dropped and before he could call out, Artemis's voice crackled in his ear. "I've got you covered, get back into the ship."

It was the first time he had seen her using her bow and arrows in a long time. He wished it wasn't because the situation wasn't so dire and because she actually wanted to use them. But the heroine Artemis had technically died with the first Kid Flash and Tigress had come along and taken her place. Tigress wasn't an archer and he could live with that.

What he could not live with is having Artemis Crock die twice in his life time. The first time had been awful enough, even if it had turned out to be fake. Her death had taken such a toll the first time it happened, he could still remember the effect it had on everyone. The shock, horror and pain it had caused.

But right then, being there as he watched a disintegration beam hit her and her body vanished before his eyes. "_No._" She couldn't be dead. People just had to stop dying, because it was getting to much for him. Had he not lost enough people? His mom and dad. Jason. Wally. Billy. Kaldur. Conner and M'Gaan. Steve and Rita were no doubt dead as well. Now Dick and...

"_ARTEMIS!_"

He looked at the horror stricken face of Bart and took in a deep breath. Gar would not lie and say he did not understand, for Artemis had been Bart's last connection to Wally after the death of Barry. Wally, whom Bart had grown up viewing as his idol and whom he had been so close to until the Reach had...

"We need to get back inside, _now_." He growled, his mouth moving without permission from his mind.

Before he could register even moving, he was inside the ship, being sat at the helm by Bart. Gar could almost feel the depression rolling off of his team mates. They had lost both Dick and Artemis, the two most experienced team members that they had left. For a moment, he too felt as if he should just give up.

But that went against everything he had ever been taught.

The Doom Patrol never gave up. The Justice League never gave up. Why should their team just give up?

"Robin, contact team Beta, tell them we're on our way." His voice sounded far more confident than he felt, but someone had to step up. Someone had to take the initiative. He may not have had training from _the_ Batman, but Steve had done a fine job of ingraining everything he needed to know about leadership into his head. After all, if he was to inherit Dayton industries, he had to know what he was doing.

Robin looked up at him before nodding and following the order, because that its what it had been. An order.

With a glance around the ship, he felt his stomach drop. Karen was crying quietly. Bart was staring – or rather, glaring – out of the window. Virgil looked ill. Robin's face was void of emotion as he spoke quietly through the communicator to, what sounded like, La'gaan.

"Guys." Karen and Virgil turned their heads to look at him, Bart didn't move – but he was most definitely listening, and Robin turned his chair around to face him. "Look, I know things are going badly. I know we've lost the majority of the heroes out there, including the M'gaan, Conner, Kaldur, Artemis and-" He paused for a moment, because the mans real name was on his tongue and it was only right that if they were all going to die there was no secrets between them, but...

"Dick and Barbara." Tim finished for him.

Barbara... _Batgirl_. Tim was the only remaining member of the bat clan... Gar felt his stomach twist as he lowered his gaze for a moment. Collecting himself.

He looked up again. "We've lost pretty much every hero out there, including our friends. And yeah, we're young and _new_. We don't have the training these guys did. We aren't nearly as good as them. But do you know what? We are _still alive_. We have survived so far. We still have the chance and opportunity to take these guys down. Use the pain to fuel the desire to succeed. There will be time to mourn later, and if not, then we're probably all dead. Until then, the earth still needs us. So let's save it."

Steve would probably glare at him for the 'motivational' part of that speech. But Rita and M'gaan and Conner, they would all be proud, and that's all that mattered. Steve taught him how to lead. Rita taught him how to be a leader. Unbeknown to Steve, they were actually two different things.

"Now, lets go kick some alien butt!"

He saw Robin's lips twitch upwards slightly, Karen and Virgil both looked relatively surprised and Bart, who had turned to look at him part way through his speech, rolled his eyes and shot him a grin that screamed the phrase 'I told you so'.

"_What was I like in your future?"_

"_You were the leader of a group called the Titans."_

"_Leader? You're joking, right?"_

After narrowing his eyes in a mock glare at Kid Flash, he turned to focus on what was happening out of the window. They were approaching the Hall of Justice. He could just make out Cassie and Blue in the sky. Cassie's lasso gripped tightly in one hand as she threw a punch with the other. He could see La'gaan and Mal assisting some of the soldiers, the look on La'gaans face completely surprised Gar. The usually arrogant or cocky expression was gone, and the older boy looked grim and serious.

Gar tried to keep himself composed as the ship got closer. Taking in a deep breath, he fired the disintegration beam at one of the alien ships headed for the Hall. After firing multiple times, he felt it was safe enough for them to land.

As they all walked off the ship, they were met by military men, and the rest of their team. He locked eyes with the major, and tried to turn as much of his fear and pain, as he could, into confidence. He held out his hand. "Beast Boy. Justice League." The major shook his hand. "I have with me, Bumble Bee, Kid Flash, Robin and Static. We're here to help."

"It's good to see a few more faces." The major replied, his own tone matching Gar's – feigned confidence.

The sound of another ship coming towards them hit Gar's ears. "We need to get inside, it'll be safer there. Then we can form a plan and save whatever is left of humanity."


	4. Timothy

**Sakurako Nagasaki – Urg, I hate the fact people portray Cassie as stupid, when she is far from it. In the comics she eventually becomes leader of the Titans, and I doubt people would want a 'stupid' leader. As for Gar, he was leader of the Titans for quite a while (both he and Cassie end up in a struggle over who actually is leader for a while). In the Teen Titans cartoon, Gar really steps up and shows the others what he is really capable of. I just decided to used that for this fic, because he would be able to step up and be leader. As for Cassie, I decided the simulation would be a bit of a 'reality check' for her, forming her more into the person she becomes. I suppose the simulation is a good transition for them all, moulding them into the kind of people they eventually become – its what happened to the original team, to an extent.**

* * *

_**Timothy**_

Once inside the main entrance of the Hall, Tim took a moment to breath. Sure, he had taken a few moments on the bio-ship, but it really was getting far too much for him. It was suffocating, and being surrounded by air that was clouded with destruction just added to the pressure in his chest. The only relief was that most of their friends were still alive.

Cassie, Jaime, La'gaan and Mal. He tried not to think about the fact Batgirl was gone, he would probably be joining her and Dick in no time anyway. God, he had to stop thinking like that. The Team didn't need that. He had to keep himself focused, Bruce wouldn't be impressed if he succumbed to suffering. Dick wouldn't be happy either. And truthfully, he didn't know who's disappointment would be worse.

"Who put you in charge, anyway?"

He was pulled out of his thoughts to see La'gaan and Gar. La'gaans eyes were narrowed as he looked at the younger boy. Gar, who looked far older than he probably should in the moment.

"Someone had to step up."

"Who'd of thought?" He turned to see Cassie next to him, Jaime on her other side. "Garfield taking control, it's weird."

At first glance, it did seem weird, but then again, Tim just knew Gar better than Cassie and Jaime. And thinking about it, it wasn't that weird at all. "No. Not really. He can step up when he needs to, and right now, we need someone who's been trained for this kind of thing."

Which means, technically, it could have been him in Gar's position. But he hadn't been part of the hero life for, nearly, as long as Gar had. Just because he had been trained by Batman, did not mean he had to be the leader.

"Wait, Gar has been trained for this sort of thing?" Jaime was staring at him, and no doubt, if he wasn't wearing the beetle suit, his eyes would be as wide as saucers.

"He's the adoptive son of Mento and Elasti-girl. You know, the Doom Patrol... Mento drilled leadership into his head, he didn't want the heir to Dayton industries to be useless."

"I don't think I'll see that kid in the same light again, ese."

_You probably won't have long to see him in the new light anyway_.

"Robin!" Kid Flash and Guardian had appeared in front of him. "We need you to come out to the bio-ship with us. 'Wing had the initial scans of the beam... If we're going to collect them, we need to know how they work."

Nodding, Tim shot Cassie and Jaime a grim smile before following Bart and Mal. It was terrifying, climbing over rubble and ruin as they approached the bio-ship. He pulled his holocomputer up as they stood at the base of the ship. He began scanning the alien's disintegration beam, both Guardian and Kid Flash looking over his shoulder.

"Is it just me, or does that look like zeta radiation?"

Bart looked at Mal. "The stuff that fuels the zeta beams?"

"Yeah, but I-" Tim was cut off.

"So Barry and Artemis and Dick- Everyone is alive?" Bart was looking at him with wide eyes.

_No. No they are not alive_. But he couldn't bring himself to say it aloud. Then again, he wasn't completely sure.

"_Could_ be." Tim stated. "We can't know for sure."

"Let's get back to the Hall." Mal said calmly. "Explain our finds to the others."

Bart took off, arriving in the Hall as soon as he decided to move. Sometimes, Tim still wasn't used to the whole 'super speed' thing. Especially when such a thing came more in handy for 'flight' rather than 'fight'; but Barry, Wally and Bart had all used it for 'fight'. Mal and himself were walking briskly, climbing over destruction and ruin when he heard it. The sound of another ship.

_Shit_.

Something rough slammed into his back and he tumbled to the ground. He sucked in a deep breath, not daring to look behind him as he pulled himself to his feet. Running at the hall, he risked a glance behind and his stomach dropped.

What was it with the older heroes sacrificing themselves for the young?

But something told him it wasn't a sacrifice. Mal would have been disintegrated either way, he just saved Tim from suffering from the same fate. And Tim just felt guilty for it, because he would have to be the one that broke the news to Karen, Mal's fiancée. Oh, he was not looking forward to _that_.

He ran into the hall to see that everyone was moving further into the Hall, he followed after them, his chest feeling tighter than it had all day. Inside the main hall, the rest of the Team stood discussing how to make it back to the cave.

"We zeta-beam back." Tim interjected.

"How?"La'gaan questioned. "We need League permission..."

"Or genius hacking skills." Tim replied, setting to work. Once upon a time, Dick had taught him how to hack into League systems. Now, he could put those skills into action. His fingers moved quickly as he heard the gunfire just outside the hall.

"_Override, Robin. B20._"

"It's only one at a time." He said calmly.

"That's fine." Gar piped up. "Guys, lets get moving."

"_Wonder Girl. B21. Static. B26._"

There was a crash from behind and he turned to see the shadowy figured of the extra terrestrial lifeforms coming towards them.

"_Blue Beetle. B22._"

A blur of yellow and red shot past him, and he turned to see Jaime soaring backwards through the beam. Bart turned to look at him. "Tim, your next! Then Gar!"

Tim gave a reluctant nod before approaching. "_Robin. B20._"

He heaved somewhat of a sigh as he stepped into the familiarity of the Cave. Cassie and Virgil were sat on the floor, as Jaime sat on a desk, legs swinging backwards and forwards. The Blue Beetle costume was gone, and Jaime looked relatively ill.

"_Kid Flash. B23._"

Tim spun around, surprised. Bart had said Gar would be next. Taking in the ill look on Bart's face, Tim's eyes widened.

"Where is-"

"Bee shoved me through." He rubbed at the back of his neck. "The Hall has basically been decimated. Only took those things a matter of seconds. So, if the others don't make it through, they're either dead, or the zeta-beam was destroyed."

"_Beast Boy. B19_."

A grim looking Gar stepped out of the tubes. A frown firm on his face. "Karen and La'gaan are, um... Not going to be joining us."

Tim winced, and Bart's eyes dropped to the ground.

"La'gaan said I had to make it back. He said that M'gaan would be proud of me, and would want me to survive. So, if it was the last thing he ever did, he would save her little brother."

And by the expression on Garfields face, it _was_ the last thing La'gaan had ever done.

"So, we gonna save the world or not?" It was Cassie that had piped up, and her words caused Gar's grim face to become hardened.

The three walked over to the others. There was six of them left. Six, young, new-ish heroes that stood between the complete take over of the planet Earth. Tim's stomach was churning. How were they supposed to defeat an alien species like this? Because they were still alive, and still willing to fight.

Vengeance could be a dangerous thing, Batman had once told him.

"Tim." Gar really wasn't caring about code names any more, and he really couldn't blame him. If this was his last day alive, what was the point in going by a false name? No one would be around to remember him anyway. "Bring up the satellite scan of the Earth, please?"

And so Tim did it. "There." He pointed at the largest of the red dots. "It must be the mothership. It landed in, what used to be, Smallville." He turned his gaze to Bart. "If Mal was correct, then that would be where everyone was taken."

He assumed Bart had already told everyone about the theory that everyone was being zeta'd off somewhere.

"Then that is where we have to go." Gar stated calmly. His eyes drifted around the team, or what was left of it anyway. "Our goal is to track down any survivors, and then destroy the mothership. Cass and Blue..." He took in a deep breath and Tim could guess what was coming next. "Virgil, Bart, Tim and I will be going in. I'll need you guys-"

"To be bait." Cassie replied coolly. "Got it." He was surprised at the dark smile that appeared on her face. "What better way to go out. Taking as many of those things with me."

She was taking the death thing surprisingly well. But then again, they all were, because one look in Gar's eyes and it was easy enough to understand. Gar knew what Tim did. There were no survivors.

This was a suicide mission.


	5. Bart

_**Bart**_

This was something he had never, not in a million years, expected. The Reach apocalypse had been bad, he had risked his entire existence with that. And now he was going to give his life, on the off chance he might save the world. _The off chance_. Gar wasn't a hundred percent sure that this plan would work. Tim wasn't completely sure the plan would work. Cassie and Jaime were preping themselves for death – because they were the two most likely to _not_ be coming back.

Both he and Virgil were feeling ill and out of their elements. Virgil had only been on the team six and a half months. Bart had been fighting for survival most of his life – but this was something new altogether.

And now, they were stood on a cliff side, waiting for Gar to give the order. There was a part of the speedster that wondered if what Dick had felt during the Reach invasion was anything similar to how Gar was feeling in that moment. Risking everything, no matter what the cost. His friend seemed to have morphed himself into Steve. Perhaps he should have mourned the loss of Gar when he had the time, because there was no trace of the shape-shifter he knew in that moment.

"Cass, Jaime." Gar's eyes landed on the two. "See you on the other side."

They weren't coming back. Not one of them. And he wasn't sure how to feel about that. Being sentenced to die by one of his closest friends, it was eating away at him. Gar shouldn't be doing this. None of them should have to give out the order that said 'Die', because it was not right.

Within a matter of a minute, Blue's voice cracked through the ear piece. "Now or never, hermano."

It was the first time had ran with someone on his back. Gar further behind, as a falcon, while Virgil used the top of a dustbin to get himself across the gap. It was strange, running with Robin on his back, holding on for dear life – he didn't blame him. The speed would be terrifying for those who were not used to it.

Once on the mothership, they had to keep moving. Tim was scanning for the League, to no avail. They weren't there. Bart's stomach twisted, they were really dead. The confirmation was almost more than he could take. But their mission was not without purpose.

"Tim. We need to get to the core of the ship-"

"Already on it, follow me."

And so they did. Running at a normal pace had always felt weird, but he could do it. Keeping pace with his friends rather than running off and completing the mission himself. The core didn't seem to be too far away.

"We're here." It was Virgil that had piped up, leading them through the door.

Gar was following behind. The four of them entered the room, Gar's eyes scanned the area. Virgil pointed ahead. "C'mon guys." He was still on the dustbin lid, which was probably, pretty useful. Gar had shifted into a falcon once again, and Tim was running ahead. Bart caught up, just in time to grab the older boy, who was being pulled into the core.

The speedforce allowed him to be able to keep up with everything as it happened. Dangling just above the core with the Tim keeping him from falling. Gar shifted into what Bart assumed was a freaking pterodactyl and lowered the two of them onto the core, before shifting into his humanoid form. Virgil landed just next to him.

"Where did you get the explosives? Thought Kaldur banned them in the Cave."

Tim chuckled darkly. "Yeah, he did. Doesn't mean people listened to him."

"So, where-"

"Artemis and Dick keep them in their rooms. I don't think they're going to need them any more. Five minutes, let's go."

And they began to flee.

He could have ran off. Used his speed and gotten out before Gar, Tim and Virgil made it to the end of the corridor. He could have abandoned them. Fled, left, saved himself. But he couldn't. No matter how terrified he was, he refused to abandon his friends. If they were going to die, he would die with them. There would be nothing for him if he survived, and he couldn't live with himself if they died.

Rounding a corner, he watched in horror as one of the doors shut. He heard Virgil groan in frustration, Gar let out what sounded like an almost defeated sigh and Tim brought his fist down on the door. Domino covered eyes met his own.

"You could still make it."

He could. He could phase through the door and run to safety, just like how Gar could become an amoeba and escape as well. They could both escape and leave Virgil and Tim to die.

It was almost as if the shape-shifter had heard his thoughts, he looked over at them both, understanding the unspoken refusal Bart was giving.

"We can stand here for the next few seconds and wait for death. Or we can go out fighting."

There was no real question to what he was choosing. He had been raised to fight, and he was going to go out the same way. Fighting.

And when Tim's count down hit zero, he accepted his fate. The burning sensation. The impossible heat that tore him apart, that burned him to his death.

With a gasp he shot up into a sitting position, heart racing in his chest. Tears dripping down his cheeks, sweat coating his skin. His eyes were darting around as he took in his surroundings.

_Good Luck._

_Psychic simulation._

_Training for failure._

_Traumatic._

It wasn't real. None of it had been real. He was alive. So was Gar, Tim, Virgil.. Cassie, Jaime, Artemis, Dick... Everyone was alive.

"Bart? _Bart_!"

He turned his head, Barry Allen was stood next to him, looking down with worry in his eyes. And Bart acted on his first impulse. He shot up, wrapping his arms around his grampa. "You're alive!"

He could hear crying, and looking over his grampa's shoulder, he could see Gar buried into M'gaan. Tim looked as if he was trying desperately not to hug Dick, and Virgil was being calmly spoken to by Kaldur, who had an arm wrapped around the younger's shoulders.

"Dick called a little while ago, explained that I might want to be here when you eventually came out of it. I remember how Wally took being through the simulation. Dinah will be talking to you soon, but I'm here for you if you want to discuss anything-"

"I thought I was dead."

"I know." He pulled away from his grampa and wiped at his eyes. "Cassie said you were in the mothership."

Bart nodded. "Yeah. With Virgil, Tim and Gar." He frowned as he looked over at his friend, seeing him being led out of the room by M'gaan and Conner. "I- I'm glad it wasn't real. That was an awful way to go, and, it was a horrible way to see my friends for the last time."

Recovering from the simulation was going to be awful. The toll it would take on them all... A part of him just wanted to go home with Barry, but he knew he had to deal with Dinah first. Therapy was hardly something that was new to him, he had been through it with Dinah a few times. But this, this was something he wasn't wanting to discuss. Not yet.


End file.
